Cameras Roll on GREEN LANTERN

Cameras roll on 'Green Lantern' in New Orleans. Plus: The script is in on 'Wolverine 2'. 'Iron Man 2' trailer to debut Sunday night. 'Smurfs' get legendary leading man and more! Here to help you straighten out your Longfellow, it's your Comics2Film 10.3.4!

SMURFS Get Legend-(wait for it)-dary!

Deadline.com drops the news that actor Neil Patrick Harris (currently defining incorrigibility on the TV show 'How I Met Your Mother') has been cast in the lead role in Raja Gosnell's 'Smurfs' movie. Harris is not playing one Peyo's blue-skinned Les Schtroumpfs, but rather is the lead live-action character.

Depardieu to Reprise Obelix for ASTERIX IN BRITAIN

French movie site Allocine.fr reports comments from actor Gerard Depardieu stating that he will reprise his role as Obelix in the planned 'Asterix in Britain') movie. The film will be the fourth in the popular Gaul franchise with the actor being the only part of the creative team to have served in each installment.

Laurent Tirard of the French hit 'Little Nicolas' has written the script for the film and will direct. No word on who will play the title role this time around, although rumored names include Lorànt Deutsch and Franck Dubosc (who appeared in the third movie in a different role in the previous film).

WOLVERINE 2 Script Set

There's a script for 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine 2' according to the Hollywood Reporter's Showbiz 411 Blog.

As has been heavily discussed in the wake of the box office success of last year's movie, Christopher McQuarrie's script will carry Logan to Japan in a loose adaptation of the famous story arc by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller.

The movie presently lacks a director, but Fox aims to roll cameras next January, according to 411.

THE SHADOW Falling over Fox?

Producer Sam Raimi's bid to bring the classic pulp hero 'The Shadow' back to the big screen looks like it may have found traction at 20th Century Fox. Latino Review reports that the studio is purchasing the film rights in a million dollar deal. Raimi aims to have David Slade direct the movie. The pair previously teamed on the adaptation of Steve Niles' '30 Days of Night'.

AVATAR Heavy to Conquer CONAN?

Coming off the most high-profile role of his career, 'Avatar' villain Stephen Lang is apparently transitioning into a similarly evil role in the 'Conan' movie. Latino Review reports that the actor has been offered the part Khalar Singh, the primary heavy in the new film. Millennium Pictures is said to be negotiating with the actor, according to an unnamed source within the studio.

Casting sides describe the character as being on a quest to find the Queen whose blood will bring life to the demonic minions of Acheron while making himself king of this hellish power. With this power, Khalar will protect his legacy against the onslaught of master sorcerer, Thoth-Amon so that his weak son, Fariq may rule after his death. On his journey, his mercenaries slaughter a village, of which Conan is the sole survivor.

Deepak Chopra's BEYOND In Development

A few years ago the harsh, unforgiving arena of comics beat the stuffin' out of Richard Branson and his Virgin Comics. The industry sent the world-beater packing, but Virgin lived on as Liquid Comics, a banner devoted to continue the comic brands started by Virgin in both print and in films. They've been a bit quiet since then, but now Indian news outlet MediaNama reports that at least one title is in development as a feature film.

Deepak Chopra's 'Beyond' is set to be directed by British filmmaker Suri Krishnamma. Other Liquid projects with high-profile attachments reportedly remain in development as well.

Cameras Roll on GREEN LANTERN

Well, if you were in the vicinity of Lake Road in Madisonville Louisiana yesterday morning, you may have seen the first bit of filming on 'Green Lantern'.

NOLA.com reports that a section of Lake Road was closed near the high bridge between Louisiana 22 and Lake Pontchartrain between 10am and noon (local time) in prep for filming. The report indicates that this is not principal photography on the movie, but rather test filming involving a car stunt.

IRON MAN 2 Trailer To Land on Kimmel Sunday

From a press release...

Host Jimmy Kimmel welcomes two-time Academy Award-nominated Robert Downey Jr. (among others) to the fifth consecutive "Jimmy Kimmel Live: After the Academy Awards", Sunday, March 7, immediately following the late local news (12:05-1:05 a.m., ET, approx). Downey will introduce the world premiere of the new 'Iron Man 2' trailer.

On a historic night where Jimmy Kimmel has previously debuted such pieces as "I'm F***ing Ben Affleck" video and Mel Gibson's "The Colonel," tune in to see another celebrity-filled surprise this year featuring special appearances from such notables as Matthew McConaughey, Rob Lowe, Sting, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner and many more.

Kevin Smith Likes SCOTT PILGRIM

While most fans have seen little more than a cool photo of actor Michel Cera wielding a flaming katana, director Edgar Wright continues to screen 'Scott Pilgrim vs The World' for his celebrity friends, lining up ringing endorsements for the film.

The latest is filmmaker Kevin Smith who talked about the movie with TheFilmStage.com. Smith says:

"I saw Edgar’s movie, Scott Pilgrim. That movie is great. It’s spellbinding and nobody is going to understand what the fuck just hit them. I would be hard pressed to say,'he’s bringing a comic book to life!' but he is bringing a comic book to life. If you’ve ever seen Scott Pilgrim, he did a fucking damn fine job of taking essentially an anime looking book and putting it into the real world while keeping everything about that book that’s kind of cool and what pops. He describes it as 'Say Anything' meets 'Kill Bill' and he’s not that far from accuracy."

Smith goes on to praise specific elements of the movie. Click through for his complete comments.

COMMENTS AND RESPONSES

That Avengers animated series looks really good despite the annoying narrator. But I think it doesn't come out until next year. That sucks.

I don't know about you guys but I am hoping that Conan doesn't end up sucking. Lang certainly helps and I'm sure he'll do a good job but it doesn't sound like it is shaping up to be good with the director and script. Just what I've heard, hope I'm wrong. Reading the complete chronicles of conan right now and it is definitely some of the best fantasy adventure stuff I have ever read.

Read the first Scott Pilgrim graphic novel yesterday. I am very intrigued by this flick, can't wait to check it out.

Wolverine 2: Please don't pick the same director. It would be great to get someone with the "gritty and real" style. It would fit the character alot more. They won't ever do it R-rated but with that type of tone to the film (like Bourne or the new James Bond, but no shaky-cam) you will get the feel from the solo comics.

The Shadow: I was hoping Raimi would direct this himself.

Conan: I'm not up on Conan novels but was vengeance for the slaughter of the Cimmerian people an aspect of the stories? This is the second time they are using that in the movies.

I think they'll be in trouble with the fanboys if they adapt the Japan storyline too loosely. They took a lot of $hit for interpreting characters too loosely in the first movie. They should learn from their mistakes this time and stick closer to the original story.

Holy crep...there really IS going to be a Smurfs movie? I admit I haven't been reading the blurbs on that as I thought it was a joke about Avatar. Like what Southpark did.

And speaking of Avatar, calling Stephen Langs character the bad guy is simplifying the character. Yes was part of the antagonists but not really a bad guy. That's part of the story structure I like about the movie is that walks the grey line in a lot of areas on good vs. evil. I hope Lang takes the role in Conan.

I don't like hearing that Wolvie 2 is LOOSELY based on the Miller/Claremont mini series. WTF...does that mean its going to be more of what we got in the first one?

I'm excited for the Avengers animated series, but it's a shame that the animation isn't as good as the animation on Super Hero Squad. I don't like that show, but I love the animation and colors (except for the four fingers and compressed bodies with big feet).

I don't care what kevin Smith says, I haven't seen anything from Scott Pilgrim that looks remotely interesting. And, if Michael Cera is playing the character like every other character he's played in every movie he's done...I'll pass. His schtick is as old as Will Ferrell's.

I agree with mokneyfoot; Wolverine 2 needs a different director. Zach Snyder, who's wasting his talent and time on an animated owl movie, would be great for the movie.

I'm looking forward to new Shadow and Conan movies, especially The Shadow, and I'm glad to see the cameras are rolling on GL.

A live action Smurfs? For Real? I thought that was some sort of joke. Wow!

Wolverine 2: Well, I'll say this. They were faithful to his story for the first 5- 10 minutes of the film then they made a bunch of bad decisions with the story. I didn't mind them making Sabretooth his brother because lets face it, none of us, up until the last 5or 6 years knew who Victor Creed was to Logan. The writers fell into the same trap that they did in X3. They made Logan a whiney B1T@H . He is a complicated character who has had a lot of $hit happen in his 100 years but one thing, he is not, is a whiney B!T@H . I'm on board as long as they get a new director and don't screw with the Japan story. We might actually get the Silver Samurai as the main villian which would be cool and probably the Hand.

Scott Pilgrim vs the World from everything I have read and seen so far looks pretty cool. I like the idea and the actors.

That Avengers cartoon trailer looked pretty sweet. It has to be better than Super hero Squad. I totally hate that show. I can't stand when they devolve adult characters in pint sized kid type characters. Its the same reason I never watched that Iron Man toon. Its just dumb.